Evidence of meeting #126 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was information.
A video is available from Parliament.
9:20 a.m.
NDP
Brigitte Sansoucy NDP Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
—for the purposes of our report, send us data on how the 15 weeks are used.
Thank you.
I apologize for interrupting, Mr. Chair.
9:20 a.m.
Liberal
Wayne Long Liberal Saint John—Rothesay, NB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Good morning to our witnesses. Thank you for your testimony this morning.
First, Mr. MacPhee, can you talk to what, if any, sensitivity training Service Canada offers its employees, or any training it offers to deal with situations of people or parents who are obviously distraught and grieving?
I understand and respect the fact that the people who answer the phone at Service Canada take thousands upon thousands of calls, but through the testimony, we've heard that sometimes they were a little insensitive. Are there any programs that Service Canada offers?
Maybe Ms. Astravas can comment on that too.
Mr. MacPhee, is there anything that Service Canada offers to employees to be better equipped for that type of situation?
9:20 a.m.
Director General, Employment Insurance Program and Services Oversight, Transformation and Integrated Service Management Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development
There is training provided around client service and service delivery to all of our staff, regardless of whether they are at call centres in person or are processing staff, to sensitize them to these issues.
That said, these are not issues that we frequently have to deal with. The fact that they occur so rarely does mean that from time to time the staff may be caught off guard. We certainly do provide a training program specific to dealing with clients in all sorts of circumstances.
We also do have a quality-monitoring program, whereby we regularly listen to the engagements between staff and clients to ensure that the quality of the interactions is what we would want it to be.
9:20 a.m.
Liberal
Wayne Long Liberal Saint John—Rothesay, NB
I understand that. I guess I'm just looking for ways and opportunities to improve.
An MP and an MP's office deal with all kinds of situations from people coming in. In the case of parents who are grieving, do you see an opportunity for more specific training for Service Canada employees to deal with those specific situations? You also mentioned that you monitor calls. What are you finding out about that?
9:20 a.m.
Director General, Employment Insurance Program and Services Oversight, Transformation and Integrated Service Management Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development
I certainly see that there is always an opportunity for us to improve the way that we engage our clients. It's important for us not to have a single brushstroke by which we try to interact with all of them. We need to ensure that our staff are sensitive to the specific needs of our clients.
It's definitely a piece of work that we want to take away and explore further to determine how we can...not isolate, but more effectively target these smaller groups within that large volume of inquiries.
9:25 a.m.
Liberal
9:25 a.m.
Director General, Employment Insurance Program and Services Oversight, Transformation and Integrated Service Management Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development
We need to determine some sort of mechanism whereby we can ensure that we effectively manage those interactions and reduce the burden on the clients.
9:25 a.m.
Liberal
Wayne Long Liberal Saint John—Rothesay, NB
Okay.
Have you heard feedback before that maybe Service Canada wasn't as sensitive...? Is this new to you, or is this something you've been aware of?
9:25 a.m.
Director General, Employment Insurance Program and Services Oversight, Transformation and Integrated Service Management Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development
When you're in the service industry—
9:25 a.m.
Director General, Employment Insurance Program and Services Oversight, Transformation and Integrated Service Management Branch, Department of Employment and Social Development
—you certainly always hear their feedback, both positive and negative. For me to say that I'd never heard that would....
9:25 a.m.
Liberal
Wayne Long Liberal Saint John—Rothesay, NB
Thank you.
Ms. Astravas, we've heard some testimony in the past about the definition of “grief” found on Service Canada's website. We heard it in the last meeting, and the one prior.
One researcher who appeared was particularly concerned that as it stands now it contributes to the medicalization of grief and may have the unintended consequence of creating a hierarchy of types of grief.
Can you provide us with some background on how the definition for “grief” was created?
9:25 a.m.
Director, Special Benefits, Employment Insurance Policy, Skills and Employment, Department of Employment and Social Development
I'm not aware of a specific definition of grief. Certainly within the Employment Insurance Act and regulations, we do not refer to any kind of bereavement or grief.
9:25 a.m.
Director, Special Benefits, Employment Insurance Policy, Skills and Employment, Department of Employment and Social Development
I personally am not aware of it.
9:25 a.m.
Liberal
Wayne Long Liberal Saint John—Rothesay, NB
We've also heard some concern from witnesses than an EI-based support system for those who suffer the loss of an infant would risk excluding those in precarious employment situations.
In your view, is it possible to create an EI-based bereavement benefit program that is truly universal?
9:25 a.m.
Director, Special Benefits, Employment Insurance Policy, Skills and Employment, Department of Employment and Social Development
The employment insurance program is paid for by contributions from employers and workers. It does have eligibility and qualifying criteria that are common to all the different EI types of benefits, both regular benefits and special benefits. It is therefore not universal, because you need to qualify when you make an application.
November 22nd, 2018 / 9:25 a.m.
Liberal
Ramesh Sangha Liberal Brampton Centre, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
We have heard from many witnesses. Some say that 15 weeks isn't enough; some say it should be 12 weeks. Different types of bereavement benefits are suggested. We know it's going to be linked with EI.
How feasible would such a program be? Is it feasible that 12 weeks could be possible?
9:25 a.m.
Director, Special Benefits, Employment Insurance Policy, Skills and Employment, Department of Employment and Social Development
If I understand your question, you're asking if it's possible to create a new benefit and how you would determine how long it would be.
9:25 a.m.
Director, Special Benefits, Employment Insurance Policy, Skills and Employment, Department of Employment and Social Development
That is something that would have to be proposed and studied separately. I personally cannot comment on that. I don't have the information to make that kind of determination.
